Jesus showed Himself to be awesome as a man, even if that is all you could know of Him. He also showed Himself to be the Awesome God in flesh.

The looming question then becomes, “Why did some of the people NOT recognize Him for who He was?” Consider it, when you see someone heal diseases, and see lame people get up and walk; when you see a withered arm restored to a fully operational size in an instant, when you see dead people raised to life again, and the demon possessed delivered and put into their right and functioning minds, why would anyone be UNable to recognize Jesus for Who He was in fact?

We can also ask this question of ourselves today because Jesus continues to be at work. The miraculous continues to be visible.

The truth is that there were many occasions in which Jesus was recognized for Who He was, and some of us today also recognize Him.

In the days of Jesus time in a normal flesh body on this earth, there were those who recognized Him but wanted Him to go away. Why?

Why would we dismiss One Who has the answers and the power to change our lives for the better? Why would we send away One Who always helps us and never hurts us?

Matthew Chapter 8 is filled with the activities of Jesus’ miraculous works. In verses 1 and 2 we are told of a leper, a person who because of his disease was a disgusting outcast from all society; one who was not to be touched, but Jesus both touched him and healed him.

The leper came to Jesus because he recognized that Jesus was able to heal him. The leper knew Who Jesus was.

In verses 5 – 14 of Chapter 8 we read of the Roman Centurion who came to Jesus to ask for the healing of his valued slave. The Romans were no friends of the Jews in those days. But in that soldier, whom others would have considered a pagan, was seen by Jesus to have great faith.

The soldier’s words greatly impressed Jesus, Who would have gone to the man’s house, but the Roman Soldier’s faith was that Jesus could but speak the command to the malady, and his servant would be healed. The servant was healed in that very hour, says the text. The Roman Centurion knew Who Jesus was in fact.

In Matthew Chapter 8, verses 23 – 27 we are given the account of Jesus and His Disciples on the sea in a ship; a storm arose and the disciples were very afraid. That must have been a great storm for most of them were fishers and they knew the waters of the sea and yet they were afraid. They chided Jesus because He was sleeping through the storm and it seemed He was detached from the urgency of the need. In return Jesus chided them for not handling the situation themselves, then He rebuked the sea and the storm and the storm was quieted.

These men had walked with Jesus daily. Jesus had done many miracles in their sight and yet they were so in awe of His power over the storm that they asked among themselves, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

The obvious fact is that His close Disciples, those who should have known Who He was, did not really understand Who He was, nor yet who He expected them to be; that is an awesome fact!

In Chapter 8, 28 - 31 there is the account of Jesus’ encounter with two demoniacs of the country of Gergesenes. The demons within the men shrieked at the sight of Jesus, they knew Who He was in fact, they cried out, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come to torment us before the time?”

The demons entreated Jesus to let them enter the pigs nearby if He was going to cast them out of the men. Jesus gave the demons leave to enter pigs; but the pigs ran violently off a steep place and drown in the sea.

This situation caused a negative stir among the people who tended the pigs; they were amazed and frightened and ran into town to tell it to the townsfolk. Would we not think that there would be happiness and gratitude for the two men who were delivered of the tormenting demons? No, there was no gratitude; there was no evidence of understanding in them of what Jesus could provide to them and for them. What the people of the town did was to ask Jesus to leave their coasts.

We can question whether they knew Who He was in fact, or if they preferred to not be challenged by One of such power?

The Awesomeness of Jesus does challenge us. If He IS in fact Who He says He is it puts us in a position of knowing the obedience required to do His will and live under His oversight. That does influence the choices we make, the things we can choose to do and must choose to not do. It very frankly, cramps our style.

The obvious conclusion is that too often people choose to live with the presence of sin rather than to experience the power of God.

The real and lingering question is, “Do you, do I, really know Who Jesus is in fact?” “Are we, you or I, afraid to experience the power of God?”

The way we can know is this: do we believe His written testimony to us; or do we explain it away so that we will not find it necessary to do the works He has said we shall do? Do we go to the Bible Buffet and pick and choose that which we like and are willing to digest?

Remember that Jesus could see into the heart of the Roman Soldier and He can see also into your heart and my heart. When He looks, what does He see?

That question I cannot answer for you, nor are you able to answer it for me. Each of us individually must have our own personal relationship with Jesus; Awesome Jesus! Does that frighten you? Think about it, only evil should be frightened of God; therefore, let us not be deceived by evil by letting those entities cause us doubts and fears. God always does only that which is good for us.

Embrace Awesome Jesus; He is worth the price of discipleship.

03/03/2012 Ramona

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